The Foodie Dietitian Blog

Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Muffins

This month’s theme for the Recipe Redux is A Whole New Grain. I currently am singing the theme to the tune of Aladdin, not gonna lie.

The purpose of the theme this month was to encourage people to be adventurous with using whole grains in cooking, and to try something other than the usual whole wheat or oatmeal. I initially was thinking I would try a second attempt at making wheat berries (the 1st attempt ended horribly). But then I got to thinking about the bag of quinoa that was sitting in my cupboard. Usually, I will use quinoa to make a salad or use it as a side dish. For the Recipe Redux, I wanted to shake it up a little and try using quinoa in a dessert or baked good. This month I made apple cinnamon quinoa muffins to keep with the fall season.

Quinoa (pronounce keen-wah) is a super high complete protein grain, making it a perfect protein choice for vegetarians. Given that it is a whole grain, it’s also packed with protein. This combo of protein + fiber is sure to leave you full and satisfied. It’s also wheat and gluten free, making it a great grain choice for those who have Celiac or gluten sensitivity.

Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups white whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup maple syrup

1 apple, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add rinsed quinoa to 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Heat water until reaches a boil and then cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

The muffins turned out great besides the fact that they were a little dense (I must have over-mixed the batter as evidenced by the tunnels in the muffins). I loved the addition of the quinoa to the muffins and that these muffins are protein packed and make for a healthy breakfast to start the day.

Enjoy!

As the first and only recipe challenge founded by registered dietitians, The Recipe ReDux aims to inspire the food lover in every healthy eater and inspire the healthy eater in every food lover. Thank you for visiting. We hope you enjoy!

We think a lot alike! I had lots of grand ideas and then decided to weave it into something I knew I was most likely to enjoy on a regular basis. I’d love to bake more with quinoa. Must try these soon!